tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Fri Jun 27 09:50:54 2014
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Re: [Tlhingan-hol] vagh jaj, vagh 'uy' DarSeq je
bI'reng:
< I was wondering about comparatives just last night. Here's my general
< thinking. It's easy when the comparison is a straightforward "This noun
< is more adjective than that noun." For example:
<
< 1. batlh potlh law' yIn potlh puS [TKW]
< Honor is more important than life.
<
< It gets a little more complicated when you want to compare ideas rather
< than just nouns.
<
< 2. QamvIS Hegh qaq law', torvIS yIn qaq puS [TKW]
< Better to die on our feet than live on our knees.
<
< We can dissect this all day, I'm sure. We could see {QamvIS Hegh} and
< {torvIS yIn} as noun phrases, that way they fit the standard [A Q law',
< B Q puS] formula. [....]
Talking about comparisons... noun phrases in the A and B slots (marked by angle brackets) can be fairly complicated:
DujvamDaq <tlhIngan nuH tu'lu'bogh> pov law' Hoch pov puS 'ej DujvamDaq
<'op SuvwI' tu'lu'bogh> po' law' <tlhIngan yo' SuvwI' law'> po' puS
It [IKC Pagh] has the best weapons and some of the finest warriors in
the Klingon fleet. S7
Also note that each comparison in this compound sentence is prefaced by {DujvamDaq} "in this ship". Other examples of using an introductory place stamp (again marked in angle brackets) are:
<reH latlh qabDaq> qul tuj law' Hoch tuj puS
The fire is always hotter on someone else's face. PK
<qIbDaq SuvwI''e'> SoH Dun law' Hoch Dun puS
You would be the greatest warrior in the galaxy. ST5
Another way to compare ideas is to preface the {law'/puS} formula with a dependent clause, setting out the parameters as it were:
<jonlu'meH> wo'maj pop tIn law' Hoch tIn puS
Our Empire's highest bounty has been placed on his head. (ST5 notes)
<tlhutlhmeH> HIq ngeb qaq law' bIQ qaq puS
Drinking fake ale is better than drinking water. TKW
<noH ghoblu'DI'> yay quv law' Hoch quv puS
In war there is nothing more honorable than victory. TKW
<tlhIngan wo' yuQmey chovlu'chugh> Qo'noS potlh law' Hoch potlh puS
The principal planet of the Klingon Empire, Qo'noS... S27
If you ignore the phrases in angle brackets, the comparisons become simple.
--
Voragh
Ca'Non Master of the Klingons
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